Hoisting and conveying apparatus.



H. WEIGKBL & R. K. MORSE. HOISTING AND CONVEYING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED OUT. 30, 1909.

9%,37, Patented May 16, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

Witnetmes TM 6 65 74 41, ww

wdttqa'neg a' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY WEICKEL AND REGINALD K. MORSE, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNORS, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS,.TO PAWLING AND HARNISCHFEGER COMPANY, OF WEST MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN.

HOISTING AND CONVEYING APPARATUS.

. Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 16, 1911.

Application filed October 30, 1909. Serial No. 525,458.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, Hnnnr \VEICKEL and REGINALD K. Monsn, citizens of the-United States, residing atMilwaukee', in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new-and useful Improvements in Hoisting and Conveying Apparatus, of which the following is a specification, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawing, forming a part thereof.

. This invention relates more particularly to hoisting and conveying apparatus adapted to run on an overhead track or way. Its main objects are to facilitate picking up, conveying from place to place and depositing lumbgr and other materials or articles, and generally to improve theconstniction and operation of apparatus for this purpose.

It consists in the construction, arrangementand combination of parts as'hereinafter particularly described and defined in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing like characters designate the same parts in the several figures.

Figure l is a side elevation of apparatus embodying the invention and specially designed for handling lumber and the like; Fig. 2 is an.enlarged elevation as viewed from the right with relation to Fig. 1 and a central sectionon the line 2 2, Fig. 3, of the lifting beam or head and the grapple connected therewith; and Fig. 3 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 2.

Referring to Fig. 1, a is'a trolley frame suspended by wheels 6 from an overhead track 0, consisting of an I-beam or rail, d is a hoisting drum mounted in the under side of the frame a, and c is an electric motor, also carried by said frame and adapted to operate said drum. f is another electric motor carried by said frame and connected by gears with one set of trolley wheels 6 I for propelling the trolley along the track 0.

g is an operators cage coupled to the trolley frame and suspended inlike manner from the trackc by wheels h.

Current for operating the electric motors is taken from a Wire or conductor 2', running parallel with the track a by a contact wheel jcarried by the suspension frame of the wheels 72.. The cage is provided with controllers k in the motor circuits. I

A lifting-beam or head Z is provided adj acent to its ends with sheaves m, and is suspended from the trolley by cables passing around said sheaves and attached at one end to the frame a and at the other end to the drum (1. The lifting beam or head is provided with a grapple for picking up lumber and other material or articles to be hoisted and conveyed from place to place. In the which it is or may be desirable for the purpose of economizing room, to take from and deposit in piles crosswise of the track and to unload from or load upon cars or wagons, or to carry parallel .with the track, the frame n has aswivel connection with the beam Z. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, this swivel connection comprises inner and o ter bearing rings 9 and r. The inner ring g, which may be made in one piece, is formed or provided with upwardly extending attachment'plates s, which are fastened to the side members of.

the beam 1, and are connected by cross webs t. The outer ring 1', which fits over and surrounds the ring g, is for the purpose of assembling, made in two parts,- which are flanged on the outside and bolted together and formed with lugs 7* which are bolted to cross pieces of theframe n, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. To facilitate turning the.

frame it with the load suspended therefrom by the hooks 0, the rings 9 andr are formed .with opposing ball races, in which balls u are interposed as shown in Fig. 2. 1

For operating the grappling hooks 0, which in the present case are turned outwardly into operative position as shown .by full lines in Fig. 2, the shafts p are provided with inwardly extending arms 2;, which are pivotally connected at their inner ends with a pin '11:, which is swiveled in a vertically movable sheave block as. The sheave block is guided and held in the proper relation to the lifting beam or head by the extended journal pm 3 engaging withxthe vertical slots in the cross wehs the pin held against endwise displacement loy collars An operating cable 2 attached at one end to the hoisting; drum d, is looped'through the block around the sheave therein and passes upwardly therefrom over a sheave 3 mount ed on the frame a and thence to and around a drum 4t in the operators cage 9, a weight 5 being attached. to its free end to take up slack? and to ail ord a suiticicnt hits on the drum l; to enable the letter, when turned, to swing the hooks 0 inwardly, as indicated or dotted lines in 9;. The drum l may he provided as shown, with a. crank (l for tola ing up or shortening the cable 52 and so ing and holding said hooks out of operatn position, or this may be accomplished by pulling down on the weight or on the cahlc itself. Wlwn released the hooks gravitate into operative position, shown by full lines in Fig. 2, the weight 5 being insuificicn to counterbalance them.

To lock and hold the frame 12. with the hooks 0 in the. desired positions with relation. to the lifting beam or head Z and the track 0 on which the trolley travels, the inner hearing r is formed or provided on its outer side with keepers 7, having soiiclccts or recesses, and a bevel or incline on. each side thereof, and a springactuated radial latch bolt 8 guided in the outer ring '1 and in one side of the frame it is adopted to ride over the hevols o1" inclines on the keepers into ea gagement with the sockets or recesses there: in when the irsme n is turned with relation to the beam or licad Z from one position to another. The latch bolt 8 is pivoted at its outer end. to an arm 9 on a rocker sha'lt 1.0, which is mounted on the adjacent side memloer of the frame it and is provided at its outer end with a double arm ll. having eyes at the ends shown in h l, that the operator in cage ,7 can reach and turn it with a hoolt.

The construction. and arrangement of the grapple hooks he variedv within wide limits to zidapt the device for handling different materials or articles, and for some purposes the swivel connection between the grapple and the lifting beam or head Z may be dispensed with. v

In handling lumber for which the apparatus shown is specially designed, Where the lumber arranged in piles on cross supports 12 below and transversely to the overhead track 0 on which the trolley travels, the apparatus operates as .i OllOPSZ To pick up a load, the trolley having; been brought to and stopped in a position directly over it, the hooks 0 being swung inward into the position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2 and held in that position, are lowered with the beam or head Z on opposite sides of the pile, and between the protruding ends of the supports 12. When the points of the the hooks 0 to swing outwardly into operative osition underneath and a ainst, saidcross supports. The load is then lifted by the operation of the motor 6 to a. sufficient elevation to clear obstructions in the way to the place of deposit, the hoolcoperating cable 2 being wound upon the drum (1 simultaneously with and the same rate as the hoisting cables which pass around the sheaves m. In transporting the load from. one place to another, it may be necessary or desirable in order to clear an obstruction, or for some other reason, to carry it in a position parallel with the truck 0, or it may he necessary or dcs"ahle to dci'icsit the load in a diliercnt posi on from that which it first occupied. lfu either case the operator reaching trom the cage -r vith a hoolt, turns the .arm ll, withdraws the latch bolt 8 from the ltccper '7 with which it engages, and by pulling" or pushing on the hoo still. engaged with the arm ll turns the tram a with'the loa d suspended therefrom around the ring 1 int o the desired angular position with rein: tion to the lifting frame or head Z, which always carried parall l with the track c. "the load having been conveyed to the point where it is to be deposited, is lowered into piece, leaving the protruding ends of cro s pieces 19 end the hooks there h, clear and r The hcam or head- Z being lowered sutliciently to take the weight of the load off from the hooks, they are swung inwardly indicated loy dotted lines in Fig. 9, by th iiiperelitor pulling in or shortenin c cable 2. hereinhefore (3X- .plaincd. ihe grapple frame and hooks are t ten drawn up with t is lifting beam or head Z above th load, which has been deposited, and said frame, if desired, may he turned back to its original position or into a corresponding pos ion. in which it wiil he auto matically .l :ched, by the bolt, 8 springing into engagement with one of the keepers 7.

Various changes in the details of construc tion and arrangement of parts of the appa- *ai'us he made in the adaptation of the apparatus for handling various kinds of row terials and articles without departing. from the principle of the invention,

Vi e claim:

1. The con'ihination of hoisting mecha nism, a lifting head connected by a cahlo with said hoisting mechanism, a grapple carried by said head. a cable having a looped connection with said grapple and connected at one end with said hoisting mechanism so as to he wound and unwound simultaneously with the winding and unwinding ot-the hoistin cable. and means for takin u and a o paying out the other end of the grapple cable.

fill

2. The combination of hoist-ing mecha-i 7. The combination with hoisting mechanism, a lifting head connected by a cable with said hoisting mechanism, a grapple having a swivel connection with said head, a cable having a looped connection with said grapple and connected at one end with said hoisting mechanism, and means for taking up and paying out the other end of the grapple cable.

3. The combination of a trolley provided with hoisting mechanism, a lifting head movably connected with said hoisting mechanism, a grapple carried by said head, a cable having a slip loop connection with said grapple and connected with said hoisting mechanism, so as to be taken up and paid out according to the vertical movement of said head, and-means for taking up and paying out the other end of the grappleoable independently of the hoisting mechanism.

4. The combination of a trolley provided with hoisting mechanism, a lifting head movably connected with said hoisting mechanism, a grapple having a swivel connection with said head, a cable having a slip loop connection with said grapple and connected with said hoisting mechanism, and means for taking up and paying out the other end of the grapple cable independently of the hoisting mechanism.

5. The combination of hoisting mechanism comprising a drum and motor for turning the drum, a lifting head provided with sheaves, cables looped around said sheaves and attached at one end to said drum and at the other to the drum frame, a grapple consisting of opposing hooks pivotally connected with said head, a block connected with said grapple hooks and adapted by its vertical movement to turn said hooks on their pivots, a cable loosely looped through said block and connected at one end with said drum, and means for taking up and paying out the other end of the grapple operating cable independently of the hoisting mechanism. i

6. The combination of hoisting mechanism comprising a drum and motorfor turning the drum, a lifting head provided with sheaves, cables looped around said sheaves and'attacl-iedat one end to said drum and at the other totlre drum frame, a grapple I consisting of afr'an e having a swivel connection with said head and opposing hooks. pivotally connected with said frame, a vertically movablesheave block guided in the lifting head and having a swivel connection with said hooks concentric with the swivel connection between the lifting head and sheave" in said. block and attached at one end to said drum, and means for king up" and paying out the other en of the grapple 1 operating cable independently of the drum.

nism comprising a drum and a motor for turning the drum, of a lifting head provided with sheaves, cables passing around said sheaves and connected with said drum, a grapple comprising a frame having a swivel connection with said head and hooks pivotally connected with said frame, a vertically movable block guided in said head and having a pivot and swivel connection with said hooks, a cable loosely looped through said block and connected at one end with said drum, means for taking up and paying out the other. end of said cable independently of said drum, and means for locking the grapple frame in different angular positionsrelav. tive to the lifting head.

8. The combination with hoisting mechanism comprising a drum'and a motor for turning the drum, of a lifting head connected by cables with said drum and provided with acentral bearing ring, a grapple comprising a frame provided with. a central bearing ring adapted to turn horizontally on the other ring, and hooks pivotally connected with said frame, a vertically movable block guided in said head and having ,a

swivel connection with said hooks passing through the inner bearing ring, a cable looped through said block and connected at one end with-said drum, and means for taking up and paying out the other end of said cable independently of the drum.

9. The combination with hoisting mechanism. of a lifting head connected with said hoisting mechanism and provided with a central bearing. ring, a frame provided with a central bearing ring fitting overa'nd adapted to turn on the other bearing ring, hooks pivotally connected with said frame, a vertically movable block guided in said head and having a swivel connection wi h. said hooks passing through the inner caring ring, a cable looped through saidblock and connected at one end with said hoisting mechanism, means for taking up and paying out the other end of said cable independently of the hoistingmechanism, and a look ing bolt movable radially through the outerbearing ring into and out of engagementwith the inner bearing ring.

.10. The combination with a trolley adapted to travel on an overhead track and provided with a hoisting drum and with motors for propelling the trolley and'for turning said drum, of a lifting'head connected by cables with said drum, opposing hooks pivotally connected with said head and provided with operating arms, a block connect- 4 t ed with said arms and movable vertically grapple frame, a cable passing around the with relation to said head, a cable looped through said block and connected-at one end with said drum, a weight attached to the other end of said cable, and a drum around which said cable passes above said weight.

i 'o. m o a motor icr vided with a hoisting drnan a turning the drum with said drnni h can; connected with said head, a o with said hon a and movable ver relation to said h said block and to .i said drntm a .Cfilgl' end of said cahl which said cahlo s ohm, adjacent; to said drawn 2 which said cable to sain eight.

lilting man mnnecieo. hooits nw-otally the other weave over or bloc-l and amnnd 12. C ne COH'llLElii. 1n with a trolley adaptcd to travel on :1 UVtfl'lltdd tract and movided with hot- 1, f 1. nm and with niotors for propelling; the trolley 2nd tnrni the drum and an operator-s ca connected with said trollov ot a li by cables with having a swi el ccoinoction Wit hooks pivota y mounted in d name, a block having a swivel connection with said.

Wing head cennoctcd the drum, 21 g hooks, a nhlc looped tln'rmggh said block and connected at or 2 and wrth sand drum, the other end on over sheave on the tr "1 ley frame adjacentto Said drum and thence to the operations 021,9 3 a latch ooh; looking the grao lc i'raino in dill'erei ongnlar positions retatiw to the lifting h t, :nid a rocker shaft having}; on an onncctcl'i an. 11 said, bolt and an opcintin arm accessible from said cage.

13. he combination of hoisting mocha lifting beam connected therewith and l wi h a central horizontal hearing a ll'fiLmO having a central horizontal honing rirg rotatnhly connected With the other ring, aarailel horizontal rocker shafts mounted in said frame and each provide-d h d pending outwardly directed hooks and with an inwardly extending arm, and 1 operating connection passing through i'aid rings and attached to the inner ends of too arms on said rocker hafts.

The combination of hoisting mecha- J a lifting head connected therewith, a V pole having a swivel connection With sad head, and means for locking said grapple in a certain position with relation to said head.

1 The. combination with a hoisting drum, n lilting head connected With said drum by and provided with a central bearing rin a grapple comprising a pivoted hook and yn'cwided with a bearing ring forming with the other ring a swivel connection be tween said head and grappleand a hook 0pcrating connection passing through said 

